Hi, everyone! I am sorry it has taken so long to update this story. Working as a full time teacher eats up pretty much all of my free time. The only reason I can do this now is because I am off this week. I hope you have enjoyed this story thus far. This is the last full chapter, though there will definitely be an epilogue. I promise I will have that posted by the end of the week if not tonight. Please review and let me know what you think.
President Lory is beyond words upon deducing who the culprit behind the mysterious warnings to Kyoko is- Kiyoshi Imai. Kiyoshi, however, did not act of his own volition as he was given the task to push Ren and Kyoko closer together by none other than Ren's own father, Kuu Hizuri. How is Lory supposed to tell Ren that this was all closer to being a prank than an actual threat to Kyoko? Will Ren's other, darker side emerge due to his anger towards his father or will he be relieved that the woman he loves is no longer in any real danger?
"…I see."
"I know that you're angry too, but at least she isn't in any real danger," President Lory spoke into his phone, shaking his head for the 100th time since he was informed of Kuu and Kiyoshi's plans.
"No real danger? He stalked her, took photos of her, broke into Ren's apartment, and gave her enough anxiety to last a lifetime," Ryouta spoke on the other line, his voice rising with each syllable uttered. Lory decided to call him first so that he might be there to help soothe things over at least with Kyoko. He knew that Ren would be a whole other story.
"I know. It's ridiculous and stupid. I never said that I agreed with his methods or can begin to understand what Kuu was thinking, but it is what it is. Now we just need to figure out how to deal with it."
"I want to meet him," Ryouta responded with a whisper that betrayed his fury.
Lory looked at his phone and sighed heavily. This isn't good, he thought to himself as he pictured Ryouta meeting Kiyoshi in his current state.
"Maybe after we break the news to the couple," Lory responded, stalling the inevitable meeting between the misguided stalker and overprotective manager.
"Fine," Ryouta spoke pointedly, "but I will get my time with him."
Again, Lory sighed and leaned back in the chair he was currently sitting in, letting his head fall back in exasperation. Why did you have to do this, Kuu?
Ren looked the phone in his hand with suspicion after talking to the President. Lory called to inform Ren that the perpetrator had been located and the situation was being handled. With all of his years of acting and studying a person's behavior so that he could adapt it to his acting, he could easily recognize when someone was hiding something. President Lory was definitely hiding something from Ren.
"He wants to see you," Lory told Ren during their conversation. It piqued his interest because the President said 'see' instead of 'meet'. He didn't know what this meant, but he knew it couldn't mean anything good.
"I-Is everything okay?" a voice whispered fearfully, her demons swarming towards Ren for a reason she could not tell.
Ren shook off his suspicion and anger upon looking up and meeting with a pair of quivering amber eyes. Finally the relief began to sink in that there was no longer an immediate threat to her safety, and his face warmed as his angelic smile graced his lips.
"Kyoko," he murmured and held out his hand for her to join him on his couch.
Kyoko was immediately frozen to her spot, not expecting his mood to turn so suddenly. Her demons that had inched closer to him to bask in his scowl were now frying under the daze of his tranquil smile. Even after all this time and everything that had transpired, Kyoko could not become accustomed to the direct power of his tender, loving face.
Seeing her not moving, Ren stood and went to her instead. He pulled her body to his and wrapped his arms around her. He himself could not grow used to being allowed to hold her like that and every time he did, it felt like the first time. Luckily for him, he thought to himself, he could at least act like he was composed.
Still, he pulse quickened as he was assaulted with her sweet scent. He closed his eyes, still holding her, and brushed his lips over her hair while breathing deeply. She smelled as sweet as the confections she could so masterfully prepare. It was intoxicating.
"U-Um… Ren?" Kyoko nervously squeaked.
Hearing his name brought Ren from his trance and he put her at arms length, distancing himself more out of necessity than anything else. If he had it his way, he would hold her and never let her go.
"They found the guy who was following you," Ren told her, watching as her face was fearful at once at the thought of the man and then shocked when the full meaning of the news hit her.
"So they have him now?" Kyoko asked, hopefully.
"And we wants to meet us," Ren followed up, his face darkening once more.
At that moment, Kyoko recognized Kuon peeking through Ren's thick persona and her heart began to race. She didn't wish to see Ren lose his composure over something involving her. She couldn't help but blame herself.
In an attempt to quell the fury she saw in his eyes, Kyoko lifted her hand and placed it on Ren's cheek. She was slightly surprised she was able to accomplish that without so much as a tremor of her hand. Maybe I am getting a bit used to this man… her thoughts wondered.
Ren shut his eyes at her touch, savoring any moment she would touch him of her own accord. He felt her thumb brush over his closed eye in the sweetest caress he had ever known. He had been with plenty of women in the past, but none of those encounters could compare to the feelings welling up inside of him in that moment. He took in a deep breath, filled with her sweetness and let it out with all of his anger at the man scaring his Kyoko and all of the desire he knew he would not be able to fulfill until he knew she was ready.
When Ren opened his eyes again, Kyoko could see the clarity in him once more and her heart began to slow.
"I love you," Ren declared.
Her heart was in the race once again.
Sebastian bowed low to Lory and Kiyoshi upon entering Lory's large office. "They have arrived," he announced to the gentlemen, referring to Ren and Kyoko. It was not until the next day that the two were able to free up some time to meet with Lory and Kyoko's mysterious stalker. Lory was anxious to see how Ren would react once he had heard the entire story, but Kiyoshi acted as if he had not the slightest care in the world.
"He's going to want to kill you, just so you know," Lory deadpanned to his old friend.
"Maybe. In the end, I was just doing his old man a favor." Kiyoshi stood and walked over to the windows overlooking the city life below. "Besides, he did benefit from it. He has that girl living with him now." He turned and smirked at Lory, who was shaking his head in disbelief. "If anything, he should thank me."
At those words, the doors to Lory's office swung open and through them stepped Ren and Kyoko. Their eyes scanned the office until they landed on the only person in the room that was a stranger to them- Kiyoshi. Ren stepped in front of Kyoko protectively and pinned Kiyoshi to the spot with an intense glare.
Kiyoshi chuckled and lifted his hands in surrender, "Easy, boy. I know you're upset, but it's not what you think. There's actually a very interesting story behind all of this."
Ren balled up his fists, "Who are you?"
Kiyoshi bowed to the couple, "My name is Kiyoshi Imai," he began but could not finish. Kyoko gasped when she heard his family name and Ren took a menacing step towards Kiyoshi.
"Imai?" Ren asked, barely above a whisper.
"I remember now… You were there at the omiai with Arata. You- You're his father," Kyoko stated in disbelief.
Kiyoshi recalled their run in with his son and his shoulders sagged. "Yes. My son has caused quite a bit of trouble and I sincerely apologize for that," he responded somberly, bowing once more. "Please understand that I nor the rest of my family had anything to do with that."
The couple stared at him suspiciously, not buying his story.
"I am the one who has been messing with you lately though. I would never do it under normal circumstances, but an old friend contacted me and asked me for my help," Kiyoshi continued, not put off by their obvious mistrust of him. He looked over at Lory for guidance, found none, and looked back at Ren. "I believe you know this friend of mine very well."
Ren's anger slipped into confusion. "Who?"
Kiyoshi looked at Lory once more, who was bracing for the news to hit Ren, before answering with a name that would stun the room into silence for a solid minute. "Your father… Kuu Hizuri." Ren's blood boiled.
"You mean to tell me that my father orchestrated this entire thing in an attempt to push us closer together?" Ren rhetorically asked, looking ready to blow up.
Kyoko sat next to him and, sensing his boiling rage, placed her hand over his. She was flabbergasted and had not spoken one word since she first found out who her stalker was.
"Yes," Kiyoshi responded with a sigh, tired of the entire ordeal. "Normally this thing would have been so ridiculous that I would have never entertained the thought of going through with it, but I owed your father. He visiting my inn all those years ago made my family the success that it is today. It's not every day that Japan's number one star visits your family business."
Something clicked in Ren's head. "Wait… Your inn in Kyoto?"
Kiyoshi smiled at the memory, realizing Ren had put a certain puzzle piece together. "Yes and you were with him. You may not remember me, but we have met before."
Now Ren realized the meaning behind the President's words when they spoke on the phone the day before. Ren knew Kyoko's stalker too.
The story was too much for Ren. He took in a deep breath, squeezing Kyoko's hand, and let it out with his anger.
"What was that d*mn old man thinking…" Ren looking toward the ceiling of Lory's office for guidance.
"He's an idiot who loves and dotes on his son," Lory responded, puffing on a cigar. "But don't worry… He's getting an earful as we speak." He lifted an eyebrow as he gazed at Ren. "I called your mother."
The corners of Ren's lips curved upward for the first time that day at the picture he had playing in his head. He knew his mother loved Ren and adored Kyoko and she would not go easy on her husband for this.
"Good."
Lory put out his cigar upon hearing Ren's words, knowing the worst of it was over. Ren would still give an earful to his father, but Kiyoshi was safe. Until he meets Ryouta, his thoughts corrected. He glanced around at the people before him, "So what now? Mogami-kun doesn't have a stalker anymore and Ren's fans seem to be getting the picture that this isn't something they can stop.
The couple looked at each other and then at their President.
"We'll figure it out."
PLEASE WRITE A REVIEW. Someone review it yesterday and that was the only thing that reminded me to finish this story. REVIEWS DO MATTER!
